TY - JOUR
T1 - Protein bioavailability of Wolffia globosa duckweed, a novel aquatic plant – A randomized controlled trial
AU - Kaplan, Alon
AU - Zelicha, Hila
AU - Tsaban, Gal
AU - Yaskolka Meir, Anat
AU - Rinott, Ehud
AU - Kovsan, Julia
AU - Novack, Lena
AU - Thiery, Joachim
AU - Ceglarek, Uta
AU - Burkhardt, Ralph
AU - Willenberg, Anja
AU - Tirosh, Amir
AU - Cabantchik, Ioav
AU - Stampfer, Meir J.
AU - Shai, Iris
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism
PY - 2019/12
Y1 - 2019/12
N2 - Background & aims: While the world is extensively looking for alternatives to animal protein sources, it is not clear which plant sources can provide the requisite full complement of essential amino acids (EAAs). Wolffia globosa is an aquatic, edible duckweed, the smallest plant on earth, and it offers all nine EAAs, dietary fibers, polyphenols, iron, zinc and B12 vitamin. This work was designed to evaluate Mankai (a newly developed high-protein strain of W. globosa) as an optional bioavailable source of EAAs for humans (primary outcome), and of further nutrients such as vitamin B12, in comparison to well-established animal and plant protein sources; cheese and peas, respectively. Methods: 36 men, subjected for 3 days to a stable diet and subsequent overnight (12 h) fast, were randomized to consume one of three iso-protein (30 g) based test-meals (soft cheese, green peas, Mankai). Blood samples were collected at 0, 30, 90 and 180 min. Results: The 3 h blood concentrations of the EAAs: histidine, phenylalanine, threonine, lysine, and tryptophan, triggered by intake of Mankai, was essentially significant as compared to baseline (p < 0.05) and similar to that of soft cheese and pea changes (p > 0.05 between groups). Although branched-chain-amino-acids (leucine/isoleucine, valine) increased significantly by Mankai within 3 h (p < 0.05 vs. baseline), the change was relatively higher for cheese as compared to Mankai or peas (p < 0.05 between groups). The increase in vitamin B12 by Mankai was higher as compared to changes induced by either cheese (p=0.007) or peas (p=0.047, between groups). Conclusions: Mankai may provide a high-quality substitute source for animal protein, and a potential bioavailable source of vitamin B12.
AB - Background & aims: While the world is extensively looking for alternatives to animal protein sources, it is not clear which plant sources can provide the requisite full complement of essential amino acids (EAAs). Wolffia globosa is an aquatic, edible duckweed, the smallest plant on earth, and it offers all nine EAAs, dietary fibers, polyphenols, iron, zinc and B12 vitamin. This work was designed to evaluate Mankai (a newly developed high-protein strain of W. globosa) as an optional bioavailable source of EAAs for humans (primary outcome), and of further nutrients such as vitamin B12, in comparison to well-established animal and plant protein sources; cheese and peas, respectively. Methods: 36 men, subjected for 3 days to a stable diet and subsequent overnight (12 h) fast, were randomized to consume one of three iso-protein (30 g) based test-meals (soft cheese, green peas, Mankai). Blood samples were collected at 0, 30, 90 and 180 min. Results: The 3 h blood concentrations of the EAAs: histidine, phenylalanine, threonine, lysine, and tryptophan, triggered by intake of Mankai, was essentially significant as compared to baseline (p < 0.05) and similar to that of soft cheese and pea changes (p > 0.05 between groups). Although branched-chain-amino-acids (leucine/isoleucine, valine) increased significantly by Mankai within 3 h (p < 0.05 vs. baseline), the change was relatively higher for cheese as compared to Mankai or peas (p < 0.05 between groups). The increase in vitamin B12 by Mankai was higher as compared to changes induced by either cheese (p=0.007) or peas (p=0.047, between groups). Conclusions: Mankai may provide a high-quality substitute source for animal protein, and a potential bioavailable source of vitamin B12.
KW - Bioavailability
KW - Essential amino acids
KW - Plant protein source
KW - Test meal
KW - Wolffia globosa
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85058929637&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.clnu.2018.12.009
DO - 10.1016/j.clnu.2018.12.009
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C2 - 30591380
AN - SCOPUS:85058929637
SN - 0261-5614
VL - 38
SP - 2576
EP - 2582
JO - Clinical Nutrition
JF - Clinical Nutrition
IS - 6
ER -